Hightap pulls off in Dogwood

Hightap scooted home beneath Shaun Bridgmohan (EquiSport Photos)

Winchell Thoroughbreds and Gainesway Farm's HIGHTAP (Tapit) overtook the

favored Luster (Touch Gold) in Saturday's $111,500

Dogwood

S. (G3) at Churchill Downs and continued to draw off under jockey Shaun

Bridgmohan to post a 3 1/4-length victory. Trained by Steve Asmussen, the gray

three-year-old lass finished up a mile on the fast dirt in 1:35 3/5 to

earn her first stakes score.

Affirmed Truth (Proudest Romeo) led the way on the rail down the backstretch

under Calvin Borel, posting a quarter-mile split of :23, with Slides Choice

(Devil His Due) and Lady's Laughter (Distorted Humor) dueling just to her

outside. Suddenly, Borel began pulling Affirmed Truth up and the pair exited the

race. The chestnut filly was vanned off the track.

That left the way clear for Lady's Laughter to grab the advantage through a

half-mile in :45 4/5 and six furlongs in 1:10 2/5, but she soon found herself

confronted by Luster. The favorite took over in the stretch with Hightap closely

tracking to the outside. The eventual winner overhauled the public's choice and

pulled off as the 6-1 third pick.

Hightap returned $14, $4.80 and $4 to her faithful backers while keying the

$45.20 exacta, $311.20 trifecta and $3,199 superfecta (2-5-8-6). Luster easily

held second by 2 1/2 lengths over Perfect For You (Giant's Causeway), paying

$2.40 and $2.20 at 4-5, while show gave back $5.40 at 10-1. Slides Choice

followed by another 3 1/4 lengths, and Lady's Laughter, Dave's Revenge (The

Cliff's Edge), Walloon (Alphabet Soup) and Tweeter (Unbridled's Song) completed

the order under the wire.